by Lindsay Sponheim, IaHHA Executive Secretary

Marshalltown, IA — The Iowa Harness Horsemen’s Association and USTA District 4A annual meeting and awards banquet was held on Jan. 10 at the Best Western in Marshalltown, Iowa. The event saw members from all over the state of Iowa, and a few from out of state, coming together for a day of meetings, awards, and fun.

The day began with driver and trainer examinations that saw two young men take the next step towards their harness racing careers. It was followed by the Iowa Harness Racing Association, Non-Profit 501 C4, meeting. Board members Jim Johnson, Tom Johnston and Earl McKay, along with IaHHA board members Royal Roland and Mark Holtan attended the meeting. This association is responsible for choosing and awarding the annual IaHHA scholarship to deserving applicants. This year they chose to award seven $500 scholarships to each of the following applicants: Sierra Philipp, Eric DeLong, Brady Jenson, Leah Roland, Jasmine Fischels, Rachel Shelangoski and Ryan Rezabek. Congratulations to those recipients.

The Iowa Sire Stakes meeting was next on the agenda. President Jeff Carey brought the meeting to order and elections were held for board members whose terms had expired. Those up for election were re-elected to another three-year term and officers were voted to remain the same as follows: President Jeff Carey, Vice-President Scott Smith, Secretary Duane Roland, Treasurer Roger Roland, and Directors Lesa Peters, Rick Huffman, Gary Liles, Jim Reese, Mark King and Dan Roland.

Board members discussed how within the next few years the number of Iowa sired horses is going to almost double in number from the current values. This shows positive growth for the Iowa Sired program. With increasing numbers though comes an increase in race fields and number of races per race day, which in turn could cause the purse structure to change in the coming years. The board discussed ways to compensate for this and chose to discuss it more in the future.

Directors Royal Roland (4A) and Gabe Wand (At-Large) led the 2014 USTA District 4A meeting with 47 members in attendance. Roland briefed the membership on current USTA activities which include the Social Media initiative, cobalt testing, and online entry system. Wand reminded the membership that the new USTA offices are now open and to note the new address. The membership looked positively on the expansion of flex hours for the USTA employees and services.

Discussion of the ten rule change proposals took place with the membership advising to pass Rule Proposals #1, 2, 9 and 10 while turning down proposals #4 and 7. The membership left all rule change proposals dealing with Racing Under Saddle (#3, 5, 6, 8) up to the directors pending further discussion at the annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio, in March.

Before adjourning the meeting, Roland announced that Gabe Wand has been voted as the new Chairman of District 4.

The Iowa Harness Horsemen’s Association annual meeting was called to order by President Royal Roland who addressed the members and informed them the 2014 racing season went well and hoped this coming season would be even more successful by getting more people involved in the IaHHA.

Matt Eide provided the members with a wrap up of the 2014 legislative season. The major accomplishment of legislators this year was passing a bill that allows the IaHHA to use money they receive from Prairie Meadows for things such as track maintenance and Breeders’ Awards instead of just purse accounts.

Board members elections were held which saw Scott Smith, Jeff Carey and Joel McDanel elected to another three-year term.

The drug policy the IaHHA is putting into effect this racing season was seriously debated. There was much discussion between members and the board regarding this drug policy and setting proper guidelines to follow. The policy is set to be finished before the racing season begins.

The open forum discussion included the tentative schedule and the possibility of adding more locations to the 2015 racing season and adding more Iowa Sired races.

The evening came to an end with the IaHHA annual awards banquet. Royal Roland opened the evening by welcoming everyone in attendance and turned the microphone over to the night’s keynote speaker Chris Ludlow.

Ludlow, a Purina Equine Specialist, talked to the attendants about feeding and energy requirements for Standardbred race horses.

Three inductees were placed into the IaHHA Hall of Fame class of 2015.

The Equine Inductee was Hannah’s Sunset, an Indian Sunset pacing mare owned by Lesa and Rick Peters and Nick Roland, who earned $277,566 in her career and set a lifetime mark at eight of 1:52.3f.

Mike Smith, of Ely, Iowa, was the Immortal Inductee. He was a great horseman we unfortunately lost in October 2013. His stable was comprised of many talents including those of Ukelele, Jena Rick and Fantasy Streak. Smith’s wife Shirley, along with their three children, Debbie Philipp, Jodi Siamis and Scott Smith, and grandchildren put together an amazing tribute video to honor this great horseman.

The Living Inductee was Sigourney, Iowa horseman Caroll “C.D.” Huffman. Huffman began his race horse career in 1964 by purchasing Dizzy Lizzy and Kelly’s Pal at the Kalona Sale. Since then he has owned numerous horses including the great Beech Nut Brand who became the richest Iowa Bred horse ever, earning more than $950,000. Along with race horses, Huffman owned the Keoco Sale Barn in Sigourney, Iowa, for more than 38 years. The Huffman Stable remains strong today with C.D.’s son Rick, granddaughter Amanda, and great-granddaughter KayVeonna.

Tom Johnston of the Iowa Harness Racing Association, Non-Profit 501 C4, presented the seven IaHHA scholarship recipients, listed above, with their scholarship checks and wished them luck with their future academic careers.

Rick Huffman was awarded a personalized jacket for being the 2014 IaHHA Driver of the Year with a record of 50 wins in 161 starts and a UDR of .471.

Duane and Connie Roland were presented with a personalized harness bag for raising, owing, and training the 2014 IaHHA Horse of the Year Roland N Rock. Roland N Rock, a 2-year-old pacing son of the late Rocknroll Hanover, set a lifetime mark of 1:51.2, earning $83,445 in a perfect 14-0-0 record.

Career driving milestones were awarded to four IaHHA drivers. Aaron Mitchell and Jack Wilkening were awarded for achieving 250 career wins while Royal Roland was recognized for achieving 750 career wins. Nick Roland was recognized for achieving his 1,000th career win.

Nick Roland was right back up to the awards podium to receive the Russell “Tuffy” Doggett Memorial trophy for the fastest older pacer in 2014 for his 10-year-old Money Lender gelding Gooch’s Bad Boy. Gooch, as he is referred to, captured his time of 1:57.2 on the half-mile track at What Cheer, Iowa on Sept. 6.

The Trou Inspiration Memorial is awarded to the fastest trotting mile of the year and this year’s recipient was Owen Nisley’s Chewsue Go N Spi. Nisley’s Work Force mare achieved her time of 2:00.2 at the Davis County Fair in Bloomfield, Iowa on July 15.

The Midwest Racing Circuit awards were the next to be bestowed upon their recipients. Older pacing champion was awarded to Mark Holtan and Ronald Emerson’s 4-year-old gelding Red’s Place with the runner-up going to Jodi Siamis’ 6-year-old gelding Kiowa Creek Rocket. The older trot saw a tie for the championship between Nancy Jenson’s 5-year old gelding No Recess and 88 year-old owner and trainer Lyle Bunston’s 8-year-old gelding Conestoga’s Justen. Roger Sturtz of Humboldt, Iowa took home the runner-up trophy for his 5-year-old older trotting gelding King Rail.

Jeff Carey and Scott Smith presented the Iowa Registered 2- and 3-year-old champions and runners-up portion of the program awards to the following recipients.

• Juxta Antz Pantz, 2-year-old pacing filly champion, owners Rick Huffman and Martha Walker
• Hot Patootie, 2-year-old pacing filly runner-up, owner Judy Roland
• Roland N Rock, 2-year-old pacing colt champion, owners Duane and Connie Roland
• DCs Better Life, 2-year-old pacing colt runner-up, owners Duane and Connie Roland
• Awesomely Awesome, 2-year-old trotting filly champion, owners Dan and Jeri Roland and Robert Davis
• Sexycaliber, 2-year-old trotting filly runner-up, owners Lesa Peters and Aaron Mitchell
• Get To Doin It, 2-year-old trotting colt champion, owners Rick and CD Huffman and Martha Walker
• Brandys Barbell, 2-year-old trotting colt runner-up, ownerGail Morris
• Boom Boom Shaboom, 3-year-old pacing filly champion, owners Kim and Brian Larson
• Baby Remind Me, 3-year-old pacing filly runner-up, owners Rick and Amanda Huffman and Martha Walker
• Tebow Time, 3-year-old pacing colt champion, owners Larry and Brady Jenson
• I Am The Cowboy, 3-year-old pacing colt runner-up, owner Nancy Jenson
• Hasty Jane, 3-year-old trotting filly champion, owner Gary Liles
• Yepperdeedoo, 3-year-old trotting filly runner-up (tie), owners Dan and Jeri Roland
• Country Cheerio, 3-year-old trotting filly runner-up (tie), owner David Hauser
• O’Wow, 3-year-old trotting colt champion, owner Rick Huffman and Martha Walker
• Tufftolike, 3-year-old trotting colt runner-up, owner Jeff Carey

Duane Roland and Scott Smith presented the Iowa Sired 2- and 3-year-old champions with their custom leather halters.

• Whatwereyouthinkin, 2-year-old pacing filly sired by What’s Up Now, owners Dan and Jeri Roland and Robert Davis
• Shift Right, 2-year-old pacing colt sired by Trailboss Hanover, owners Rick and Amanda Huffman
• Awesomely Awesome, 2-year-old trotting filly sired by Weight Lifter, owners Dan and Jeri Roland and Robert Davis
• Get To Doin It, 2-year-old trotting colt sired by Ironmaster, owners Rick and CD Huffman and Martha Walker
• Baby Remind Me, 3-year-old pacing filly sired by Trailboss Hanover, owners Rick and Amanda Huffman and Martha Walker
• Trail Lazer, 3-year-old pacing colt (tie) sired by Trailboss Hanover, owner Paul Liles
• Moment Of Impact, 3-year-old pacing colt (tie) sired by Damian Seelster, owners Joe, Robert and Carol Kilburg
• Yepperdeedoo, 3-year-old trotting filly sired by Weight Lifter, owners Dan and Jeri Roland
• O’Wow, 3-year-old trotting colt sired by Broadway Or Bust, owners Rick Huffman and Martha Walker

For the past few years the IaHHA has put on a stallion auction that gives members a chance to win a free breeding to one of seven Iowa Registered stallions. This year’s donated stallions were Lesa Peters’ Amigo Ranger, Idealism and American Native; Jodi Siamis’ Sneaky B Skipalong; Lindsay Sponheim’s Millionaire Cam; Mark King’s Southern Ruler N; and Relentless Yankee, owned by Jeff Carey, Rick Huffman and Scott Smith. All the proceeds from the auction are donated to New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program.

Duane Roland went home with a brand new harness provided by the IaHHA and Bob Rice of JH Harness, compliments of the IaHHA harness raffle. There were more than 60 items on the table for the door prize drawings provided by Robert and Carol Kilburg, Sponheim Stables, Big Dee’s, Yonnie’s Harness Shop, Horze Equestrian-FinnTack, JH Harness and Simply Soothing.

The IaHHA would like to thank all of our donors, without you this portion of our evening would not be possible.

The evening was wrapped up by music, karaoke and dancing provided by John Harrington.

The IaHHA would like to thank everyone for attending the annual banquet, it was a great success. Check us out on Facebook at Iowa Harness Racing and our website: www.iowaharnessracing.com. We are looking forward to a great 2015 racing season.